Can you put a #2 or #3 blade in a #4 or #5 plane? / Options for Narrow Blades

[Jim Koepke]

Perhaps it's really best to make my own, given my specific needs. It might take a few tries, but I'm more likely to be able to make exactly what suits me that way. Possibly more fun, too!

In that case, I just need to find a nice thick but narrow iron that will work. Block plane irons seem okay but most are really thin... Hock irons are a good option still, of course -- a bit short, but I think they could work for me.

One advantage of making your own is you can start with the grip and fashion the plane around it.

For a cheap blade, look at the Stanley #45 #9 blade. This is 1-1/4" wide.

A search on > stanley 45 blade < turned up two. One was a Stanley the other was a Sargent which is 1-3/8" wide.

Another search, > filletster blade < turned up a few more at better prices. They all would likely need a bit of work.

The disadvantage of using one of these blades would be no cap iron.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

If you want to go for a handled plane, head-to-head, a BU plane, such as the Veritas Small BU Smoother will require less effort to push than a BD Bailey/Stanley #3. Both have a 1 3/4" wide blade. The BU plane has a low centre of effort, and this does make a difference in practice.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Kees Heiden]

You state this like a fact, while you have never been able to explain what this centre of effort exactly is. I suspect it is very much a matter of personal preference too. It ain't easy to feel small differences in pushing effort.

[Derek Cohen]

Kees, I have conducted experiments and observations for many years. Some of this is written up on my website (linked to earlier).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Kees Heiden]

Well, I don't have any bevel ups, not going to buy one either for testing. Apart from the handle angle I just don't see any fysical difference between the two, so you have me baffled there.

[chris carter]

I suspect this may be a body mechanics issue. I’ve had chronic tendonitis problems in my wrists and forearms for 20 years and have to be really careful with what I do. For the past month I’ve been in some of the worst shape of my life and I can barely turn a doorknob. However, hand planning is absolutely pain free. The reality is that when I plane wood, none of my forearm muscles are even engaging. My upper arm (bicep/tricept), shoulder, back all do work, but my forearms are doing zero. It might be worth it to push one handed and use the other hand to poke around your arm to see what muscles are engaging so you can correct that motion. I am occasionally guilty of grabbing the tote too hard. If that happens, drop the index and pinky fingers, and maybe even the ring finger, to force you to use a delicate grip. I’ve found no advantage to a death grip over a baby bird grip when planning. Also make sure you don’t grab the knob too hard either; use your finger tips if you need a reminder to ease off.

I would discourage a toteless hand plane. They typically require you to bend your wrist a little to get your palm on the back of the plane and this misaligns your wrist with your forearm requiring the forearm muscles to get the wrist in the right position. A quick test a few minutes ago on myself in my injured state confirm this. Conversly, a regular handle should keep your wrist in alignment with your forearm.

If you want to make things a little easier, use a wooden plane with a regular tote. A wooden plane is effortless to push compared to a metal bodied plane. The difference is DRAMATIC.

I will say that basically the ONLY time my wrist and forearms hurt right now with bench planes is when I grab one from under the bench where they live and bring it up to the top of the bench. That hurts. But actually planning causes no discomfort.

[Jim Koepke]

You state this like a fact, while you have never been able to explain what this centre of effort exactly is. I suspect it is very much a matter of personal preference too. It ain't easy to feel small differences in pushing effort.

There is a difference:

The bed angle of the Small BU Smoother (SBUS) is 12 degrees.

The 8º lower angle can make a world of difference in how much effort is needed.

My smaller bench planes are held much like a wooden bodied plane of the same size. It is easier on my hand. My right hand has had various problems since the summer of 1958 when I cut it badly by falling on a broken bottle in a creek. My right shoulder was injured in an accident while riding my bicycle about 20 years later.

Count yourself lucky if you can not feel the difference. Those of us with an uncle arthur old wounds, injuries or just the artifacts of having a good time over a lot of years wish we couldn't "feel the difference."

[Kees Heiden]

I have my fair share of body troubles too Jim. But don’t let me clog up Luke’s thread any further. Chis in the post above seems to have very valuable advice.

[Tom Trees]

I would tend to agree also, with what most of Chris says, however I feel the need to clarify some of the things I agree with....
Looking at the plane I was talking about I should have been more specific
The wooden plane I would to try first is a razee plane or a Stanley no.35... type of thing
Jim Hendricks (Hendjim on youtube) demonstrates one in his videos...
Even though I have never used one, its clear to me that you need your hand (always four fingers together for me, and not those more upright Veritas style tote either)
behind the cutter and not over it, as this is dinging your bones together right there...
And no-one has mentioned that the cap iron is a big factor as it pulls itself into the cut, rather than you diving into the cut...

For example starting with a dead flat length of timber on your bench..
And for arguments sake, the bench is dead flat and this length of timber is 5" tall so no deflection comes into play)
If you keep taking full length shavings without the cap iron set, you will take more off the end, causing the timber to be sitting high in the middle.....
If you set the cap iron to have influence, you wont take more off the end of the timber length ....

This is because the cap iron has the downforce allready from the start of the cut, and not half way through the cut...
Obviously the cap will be only in effect when needed, for me that's always

Tom

[Jim Koepke]

My smaller bench planes are held much like a wooden bodied plane of the same size.

Yesterday presented an opportunity to use my scrub plane. It is about the same size as a #3.

Here is an image of a modified grip:

Relaxed Grip.jpg

Often holding the plane like this is more comfortable for me. Also notice the clamp on the saw horse, this keeps the piece from moving while planing across the grain.

Of course, as always:

YMMV!!!.png

jtk